A safer alternative to a once-daily HIV pill just got approved — here's what you need to know about it

Genvoya, a combination pill developed by Gilead Sciences Inc.
that only has to be taken once a day, is the first if its kind to
get the agency's green light.

The drug is approved to treat anyone
withhuman
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who's 12 or older
and just starting HIV treatment. It works by interfering with a special protein necessary for HIV to
multiply. Keeping the amount of HIV in the blood low
is key for suppressing symptoms of the virus.

Here's what you need to know:

In a late-stage trial, the drug proved just as effective
as Stribild*, Gilead's other combination pill that was approved
in
2012.

Compared with Stribild, Genvoya had better long-term
safety in trials. It is also less toxic to kidneys
and has less of a negative impact on bone density.

Genvoya, like other HIV medications, carries what's
called a
"black box warning," which details some of the extreme
adverse events that can happen while on the drug.

In the case of Genvoya, that includes possible lactic acid
buildup in the blood and severe liver problems, which can
both be life-threatening.

Essentially, Genvoya is set up to be a safer
alternative for HIV treatment. Having a new once-daily pill with
lessened effects to bones and kidneys could be good news for the
estimated 1.2
million people in the US living with HIV.

*Note: An earlier version of this article misstated the drug
Genvoya was compared to in clinical trials. It was Stribild, not
Truvada.